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About Us

Takoma Foundation Board of Directors

The Takoma Foundation is guided by an all-volunteer working board made up of members of our community. All of our fundraising, grantmaking, communications, programs and activities are managed by board members and other community volunteers. The Foundation has no paid staff.

(Updated December 2018)

Benjamin Frey (President) began his career as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer and is proud to have served an interesting variety of effective and mission-driven nonprofits, foundations and government agencies across the country, developing programs, conducting trainings, managing grants and telling stories about those doing good work for others. He has lived in Takoma Park with his wife and two daughters for most of the 21st century. Four were spent in Malawi, Africa.

Howard Kohn (Vice President) is a freelance writer and a political consultant. He has been involved with the Foundation for 10 years and participates in several civic groups. He and his wife Diana, another activist, have lived in Takoma Park since 1982. Their three children are grown.

Kathy Porter (Treasurer)

Shruti Bhatnagar (Immediate Past President) is a recipient of the Azalea Award (2014) and has been actively involved in the Takoma Park community since 2008. Her 20+ years of work experience includes working in non-profit, corporate and community organizations. In her various leadership positions on the PTA board of Maryland State, Montgomery County and Takoma Park schools, where she successfully led several initiatives including fundraising, membership and outreach, communication, and board development.

Maureen Feely-Kohl (Grants Chair)

Annie Mozer (Secretary)

Carolyn Bobb

Eric Bond is a previous board president and board member. He is heartened by the continuing community support for the Takoma Foundation, as well as the breadth of important community projects that the Foundation supports. He believes “The Takoma Foundation is the beating heart of Takoma Park.”

Gary Cardillo

Richard Fawal

Denise Jones is a longtime Takoma Park resident and a tireless community building advocate who has a long history of activity and accomplishments in Montgomery County and beyond, promoting arts reach to underserved youth communities.

Dave Lanar

Patti Mallin moved to Takoma Park in 1997 and immediately began volunteering for the Friends of the Takoma Park Library. She ran the highly successful twice-yearly book sales for several years until her daughter started school, at which point volunteer time was spent in the classroom or media center at the elementary school. Patti has also been involved with her daughter’s soccer, basketball and softball teams all along the way. Patti and Cam live in Takoma Park, on “Little Eastern.”